Is respiration the same as breathing?

Respiration is not the same as breathing. Breathing is ventilation involving the lungs, diaphragm and intercoastal muscles. When you inhale this causes the internal intercoastal muscles to relax and the external muscles to contract pulling the ribcage up and out. The diaphragm contacts causing the lung volume to increase and the air pressure inside the lungs to decrease pushing air into the lungs. When you exhale the external intercoastal muscles to contract and the internal muscles to relax pulling the ribcage down and inwards. The diaphragm relaxes and moves upwards causing the lung volume to decrease and the air pressure inside the lungs to increase pushing air out of the lungs.Respiration is how the cell obtains energy in the form of ATP in order to carry out cellular processes like protein synthesis and active transport eg across a membrane. Repiration occurs within the cytoplasm and for aerobic respiration it occurs within the mitochondria, Aerobic respiration requires oxygen and glucose to produce water and carbon dioxide. The molecular formula is C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O. Anaerobic respiration occurs in the cytoplasm when there is no oxygen present, this can occur during exercise. Glucose is used and produces lactic acid, the molecular formula is C6H12O6 → 2C3H6O3. The energy produced from aerobic respiration is a lot less than the energy produced in aerobic respiration. Lactic acid builds up in the muscles causing oxygen debt- excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). The lactic acid needs to be oxidised to carbon dioxide and water. In microorganisms like yeast anaerobic respiration produced ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Answered by Priyanka K. Biology tutor

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